Title
A Resolution Of The City Commission Of The City Of Hollywood, Florida, Authorizing The Appropriate City Officials To Execute The Attached Letter Renewing The Agreement Between The City Of Hollywood And Lewis, Longman & Walker, P.A. For Legal Services And To Expend Funds For Fiscal Year 2016 In An Amount Not To Exceed $75,000.00.
Body
Staff Recommends: Approval of the attached resolution.
Explanation:
Resolution No. R-2012-388, adopted December 19, 2012, approved an agreement (the “Agreement”) with Lewis, Longman & Walker, P.A. (the “Law Firm”) to provide legal services to the Board of Trustees of the Employees Retirement Fund for three years with options to renew for two additional one-year periods. Resolution No. R-2015-281, adopted October 7, 2015, approved the expenditure of an amount not to exceed $100,000.00 for Fiscal Year 2015. The City currently pays the Law Firm for general legal services provided to the Board of Trustees of the Employees Retirement Fund (the “Board”) and for legal services provided to the City on various other pension matters.
In the last “WHEREAS” paragraph of Resolution No. R-2015-281, the City Commission expressed (i) its desire to provide the Board with the opportunity to select those professionals, consultants and assistants currently selected by the City pursuant to paragraphs 33.025 (S) (6) and 33.025 (S) (7) of the Code of Ordinances and (ii) its desire for staff to bring forward an ordinance that would effectuate that desire. The proposed ordinance described in the preceding sentence has been drafted and is expected to be adopted in the very near future.
Until the City Commission adopts the proposed ordinance, the City will continue to pay for the services provided to the Board by the Law Firm, and even after the City Commission adopts the proposed ordinance, the City will continue to pay for the services provided to the City by the Law Firm.
When professional services are purchased and the estimated annual amount to be paid therefor by the city is be more than $50,000.00, City Commission approval is required. The Law Firm’s bills for Fiscal Year 2016 through the end of February 2016 total $41,643.00. The estimated amount for all services to be provided by the Law Firm in Fiscal Year 2016 will approach but not exceed $75,000.00. Section 38.40(C)(2) of the Code of Ordinances exempts from the competitive bid and competitive proposal requirements of the Purchasing Ordinance contracts of professional services;
Funding has been identified and will be available in the Fiscal Year 2015 budget in Account Number 61.1200.11032.518.03122 for legal services provided to the Board and Account Number 01.0104.00000.514.003122 for other legal services.
Recommended for inclusion on the agenda by:
Wazir Ishmael, Ph.D., City Manager
George R. Keller, Jr., Assistant City Manager/Finance & Administration
Jeffrey P. Sheffel, City Attorney